Where There's Smoke
by I'mDatingTheReceptionist
Summary: Benson agrees to be Mordecai's fake date to the ball that evening...with disastrous results. MxB, CJxM.


Mordecai and Benson stand outside the ballroom, hand in hand, both wearing suits with their hearts pounding- Mordecai's out of seeing Margaret and CJ and Bensons out of, well, being seen by one of his other employees holding Mordecai;s hand….although that's pretty unlikely to happen.

They watch random strangers walk in, some chatting with their friends and others holding hands with their partners. All're clothed in dresses and suits, a few people even have masks which makes Benson cock an eyebrow at.

Mordecai drums his fingers against Bensons hand, bouncing on his heels, "Well, here we are."

Benson sighs, "I can see that."

Mordecai wills himself to calm, letting his eyes flicker to a girl in a turquoise dress who's walking up the steps, "Do you think Margaret and CJ're here?"

"Can we just go inside, please? It's freezing out here." Bensons voice is strained with embarrassment, clearing Mordecai's mind for a second.

"Oh! Oh, yeah, sure." He clears his throat then leads Benson up the steps and inside the ballroom.

A large handful of people are on the dance floor while a bunch of others stand off to the sides, drinking punch and talking in twos or groups. There're tables of food and drinks pushed near the walls that people're milling around. Lights hang from the ceiling, with dots playing on the walls and faces and a disco ball's been strung up in the middle of the light fixtures, slowly spinning and catching the dots. The room's a blue hue and it makes the two stare in awe. Benson has to admit that the annual Park Parties are a zero compared to this- it's really, really pretty.

"Woah…" Mordecai breathes as he looks around. "CJ's really outdone herself."

"Wait, CJ did this?"

He smiles, "With a little help from Margaret, of course."

"Huh," Bensons eyes catch the disco ball as Mordecai's trail the dancing crowd. "Wonder who chose the blue."

Mordecai suddenly lets go of Bensons hand to point, "Oh hey, there they are!" In amongst the sea of strangers, Benson can just make out CJ and Margaret dancing together, but when they hear Mordecai, the stop and turn, smiles breaking across their faces.

At seeing the girls, Mordecai feels his heart quicken, "Do I look okay?" He asks as he watches them walk over. CJ's hair is done up in a bun and a deep purple halter neck dress hugs her body, falling at her feet and sweeping the floor. Her silver earrings wink in the lights and she's applied a little mascara and lipstick. Margaret's is a pale yellow strapless dress that stops at her knees, a thin golden belt wrapped around the waist. Her lips're a pale pink, hoops hanging from her ears. She wears a few gold bracelets're on her wrists and they clang together as she falls in step with CJ to meet the two.

"Mordecai, you made it!" Margaret exclaims as she hugs him. Her gaze falls on Benson, who's smiling at her. She holds out a hand, "And you must be Benson. Mordecai's told me a lot about you."

As Bensons gaze cuts to Mordecai, he can see him flush red and he smirks, "Oh, really?"

Margaret flashes a pearly smile then turns as CJ brings Mordecai in for a hug, "It's really good to see you, Mordecai." She says softly. He swallows, shooting a look at Margaret who's eyes've landed on her bracelets. When CJ draws back, she grasps Bensons hand and just like that, the atmosphere shifts, a natural grin tugging Margaret's lips.

"You guys want some punch?"

Benson smiles warmly, "Sure."

She takes down Mordecai and CJ's orders before hurrying off, her heels clacking against the wooden floor. Mordecai's hand digs into his pants pocket as he looks at her, CJ's fingers playing with a loose thread of hair.

"Where's your date, CJ?"

All at once, as soon as her gaze sets on him, she turns pink, "Oh I uh…I came with Margaret." She lets go of her hair to have a hand go round her arm.

Benson gets it but Mordecai doesn't, "She's still single too?"

CJ bites her lip, glancing at a man with a lion mask, "No, she has a date tonight."

Mordecai's face twists in confusion but before he can say anything else, Margaret's come back with four glasses of punch. She hands them out and when CJ takes hers, she sips it fast, not daring to look Mordecai's way. Benson nudges him in the side and he glances at him, about to open his mouth…however, he beats him to it, his face softening when he sees CJ.

"You and Margaret're dating, right?"

CJ's face goes hot but Margaret smiles warmly, taking CJ's hand, "Yeah." Despite the smile, a ting of red paints her cheeks as she continues, "We've been together for a couple months now."

Mordecai can only stare, but Benson just can't believe how clueless he is. He makes a move to go, to say how great that is before excusing himself, but Margaret has to ask, "What about you two?"

Benson calms himself, "A few weeks."

Margaret's brows shoot up, "Mordecai, why didn't you tell us?" CJ looks at him finally, the straw falling from her mouth.

"I uh…didn't want to shove our happiness down your throats?" He tries, grimacing inside. Benson steals a look from him and Mordecai's expression screams Rigby. The guy wants to strangle him. Before Benson can do anything, he blurts, "Why didn't you tell me about you guys?"

CJ glances at Margaret, squeezing her hand, "The same reason, I guess." Margaret giggles and Mordecai feels his chest warm.

Benson downs his punch, "I'm gonna go get another." He heads to the table, leaving the three alone. He desperately needs some air.

Mordecai smiles at the girls, "I'm really happy for you two." He says warmly, embracing CJ first then Margaret, her bracelets hitting together when she wraps an arm round Mordecai's neck. For the first time in a long time, he feels content with this, with them. Like he can be himself.

"Hey, where's Benson?" CJ's looking over at the punch table and Mordecai follows her gaze to see him absent. His gaze flits to the other guests but he's nowhere to be seen and for a moment, something clutches his chest. Margaret touches his arm,

"Mordecai, you okay?"

His head jerks to her and there's a split second where he feels his heart quicken. He doesn't have feelings for her anymore, but…he still can't forget how she used to make him feel, how pretty she looks in the light, how caring and thoughtful she could be and when he catches CJ's eye, he's overcome with a lightness, "Yeah, I just need to find Benson."

She thinks he's going to leave, but he faces the two for a moment and her hand falls from his arm, "You're a lucky girl, Margaret." He kisses her cheek then races off through the crowd, disappearing.

Margaret sees CJ staring and she blushes, "What?"

"You're lucky?"

She grins, "Shut up." Before she can argue, she's pulled in for a kiss.

Mordecai's footsteps slow when he makes it outside. With everyone now inside, the place's practically dead and he can see the parking lot from here, only a few spots left. The cold air cools him and he looks wildly around, his jacket blowing in the wind before spotting him against the wall, smoking a cigarette. He blows out a puff of smoke and as Mordecai approaches him, he waves it away, coughing slightly when the rest snake down to his lungs.

"Benson, what're you doing out here?"

Benson stares ahead, "I was suffocating in there." He inhales the stick, the end lighting up before another ball of smoke appears in front of him. Mordecai fans it, coughing.

"Can you come inside?"

He pauses, "When I've finished." Mordecai doesn't move and Benson drags his gaze to him, "What?"

"Was it something I did?"

The question catches him off guard and Benson inhales a large amount of smoke, making him cough violently. He drops the cigarette and Mordecai stubs it out, waiting for Benson to recover as he takes a step back, stuffing his hands in his pockets. After one last cough, Benson straightens, wiping his eyes. He leans back against the wall, holding his head, "God, Mordecai, no. No you didn't do anything, I just…" He looks at him, "I didn't want to come here, you know? I mean, I don't do parties or dances as it is, but you..dragging me here to impress your ex girlfriends, who're actually already together…"

Mordecai smiles shyly, though a pang of guilt hits his chest, "I guess..that helps a bit."

Benson smirks but swallows, a final cough making him jerk away from the wall, "Yeah, I guess it does."

"Sorry for…forcing you to dress up…" Mordecai tries and Benson shakes his head.

"No, it's..it's fine," He laughs. "Who knew your ex's'd date eachother?"

Mordecai smiles in amusement cause really, it's a wild thought. He holds his neck, one hand in his pocket as they walk to the doors before stopping, "Are we still pretending?"

"Hm?"

"In there," he gestures inside to the dancing bodies.

Benson watches them for a moment, "Oh yeah, I wanted to ask. Why'd you still keep stealing Rigby's lines?" His expression makes Mordecai blush.

"I panicked, okay?"

"You panicked?" Benson smirks.

"Yeah." Mordecai punches him lightly, "It worked, didn't it?"

Benson doesn't reply and steps back into the room, Mordecai behind him. They head to the punch table, grab two glasses and weave their way back through the crowd till they find CJ and Margaret on a bench, talking. When they approach, the girls stop and smiles grace their features.

"Hey, you're back." Margaret says.

Mordecai smiles, "Yeah." A familiar song suddenly fills the room and cheers go up. CJ stands, placing her glass on the bench and grabbing Margaret's hand.

Her face lights up, a wave of nostalgia hitting her, "Oh man, this brings back memories."

Margaret sticks out her tongue, "You liked this in high school?"

CJ shakes her head, "I did colour guards to this."

She's lead to the dance floor before she can say anything else, leaving Mordecai and Benson alone. Mordecai smiles, turning to him, "You wanna join them?"

Benson gives him a look, "What'd you think?"

"Yes?"

"No."

"Aw come on, Benson. It'll be fun."

Benson takes a sip, "Yeah, if they change the song."

Mordecai rolls his eyes and grabs his hand, forcing Benson to put his drink next to CJ's and follow along. They're pushed through the crowd before finding the girls and Margaret squeals, CJ laughing and Mordecai smiles at Benson who hides his grin. The four of them dance that night, each song bringing a different energy to the group; soon their faces are flushed and Bensons body's warm as they go back to the bench to retrieve their drinks.

They all sit, chatting for a moment before CJ announces that she needs to go to the bathroom and for Margaret to watch her drink. As soon as she leaves, her gaze sets on Mordecai, her eyes sparkling, "She's amazing, Mordecai."

Mordecai bites back a smile, "Yeah?"

She shakes her head, "I don't know why you dumped her. She's really something."

"How'd it go with your parents?"

Her smile falls and she closes in on herself. Mordecai stops, Benson watching her and she doesn't answer for a moment, her eyes finding his, "They uh don't know yet."

Mordecai glances at the bathroom door, "About CJ?"

Her head shakes again, "About me." When he doesn't reply, her fingers grip the plastic in her hand, "I didn't know until…her, Mordecai."

There's a weird silence and Mordecai can't find his voice. Benson reaches over and places a hand on her arm, making Margaret look over at him. He smiles gently, "It'll be okay, Margaret."

She attempts a smile but it's strained, "If you don't mind me asking, Benson…how did you tell your parents about…you?"

Bensons face heats up, "I uh…I didn't." Mordecai looks at him, trying to read his expression but he can't tell if he's keeping up with the act or…telling the truth. He continues, "I don't think they'd be happy, if…if they found out." His gaze flicks to Mordecai but Margaret's nodding, feeling a little at ease.

She brings her knees up. "Yeah, it's the same with mine. I know they love me regardless, but…it's recent. It…It feels too soon."

Benson smiles again, "You'll find the right time." He avoids Mordecai's eyes, keeping his gaze on Margaret who smiles softly, squeezing his arm.

"Thanks, Benson."

The bathroom door opens and CJ emerges, grinning. Margaret jumps up and the two embrace, kissing. Mordecai looks away to fix his attention on Benson.

"Were you saying all that to be supportive?" He asks quietly. Benson doesn't answer and something clouds Mordecai's chest. "Cause you know she'll be heartbroken if she finds out you were lying."

He gets up, ignoring him and Mordecai hurries to catch up, realising he's going to the mens bathrooms across the dancefloor. Benson's too quick; the guy's vanished again, although he knows where he is this time. Still, it's tricky to navigate his way through the many people bunched together.

Finally, he does. He can hear Margaret calling his name, CJ calling Bensons but he ignores it and pushes the door open. All stalls're empty except for one and Mordecai stands outside it, the music still loud even inside the bathroom.

"Benson?" His voice echoes and a silence shrouds the place.

"…Leave me alone." Bensons voice is thick. He swallows and sighs, staying quiet.

Mordecai raps on the door, "You gotta come out." Nothing. He leans against the wall next to a sink, "Look, I'm sorry for what I said out there, but you know it's true. Margaret's really happy and she only wanted someone to talk to."

He holds his breath but Benson isn't budging. Mordecai's hands go to his pockets and he's just about to leave, until he hears shoes hit floor and he stops, letting the door swing shut. He walks back to the sinks as Benson asks, still in the stall, "Why didn't she ask you instead?"

Mordecai hesitates, "Because I told her when we were dating."

"Told her what?"

"That…" He focuses his eyes on a dark stain on the wall, "I like both girls and boys."

Benson doesn't say anything, but Mordecai doesn't expect him to. He waits, until a toilet flushes and the door opens and Benson's standing there, his eyes red. Mordecai steps away to let him wash his face. He smiles and Benson sees, making him stop with the tap running, "What?"

Mordecai meets his gaze in the mirror and he pushes his crown back, "You were telling the truth out there, weren't you?"

Benson drops his eyes, his hands gripping the edges of the sink and he bows his head, swallowing again, "…Yeah."

He waits some more, soon looking away until Benson turns the tap off, looking in the mirror, "How'd your parents take it?"

Guilt washes over him again and he can't answer for a moment, scuffing his feet against the floor, "They were really supportive…"

Benson nods but to Mordecai's surprise, he doesn't break his gaze. He turns, leaning against the sink with Mordecai in front of him, hands in his pockets, "Do CJ's know?"

Mordecai shakes his head, "She lost contact with her mum years ago. And she could care less about her dad."

"…Oh."

He pauses, "Who are you attracted to anyway?"

Benson lets out a breath, glancing at the door before shrugging, "I don't like labels." Mordecai smiles as he continues, "But…I've realised throughout the years that I have a stronger preference for guys than girls." He waves a hand, "The spark was never there, but…when I first dated a guy…." His cheeks heat up but Mordecai's even gaze makes him find his voice, "It was there."

"You've had a ton of ex girlfriends, Benson." Mordecai says incredulously, stepping away and Benson feels himself smile.

"So've you."

Mordecai shake his head, "I had a few flings in high school, but…Margaret and CJ've been the only serious girlfriends I've had."

"Really?"

"What, you thought I was a catch or something?" Bensons face burns and Mordecai laughs, "Believe it or not, I haven't had many boyfriends. There was a guy who had a crush on me in high school, but…" He pauses, "That never went anywhere."

Benson takes this in silently, listening to the music outside and wondering if CJ and Margaret're still out there or if they just left, giving up on their search for them.

"You never answered my question."

He jerks out of his thoughts to see Mordecai watching him, leaning against a stall wall. "What question?"

"Outside," Mordecai pushes himself off. "I asked if we were still pretending and you didn't say anything."

Benson goes quiet and Mordecai smiles, seeing Bensons cheeks redden. When he swallows, his throat's dry, "I'm gonna get some punch." Before Mordecai can stop him, he's gone and the jay turns to follow him to the punch table, avoiding the crowd. Flashes of purple and yellow by the bench tell him the girls haven't moved but his focus is getting to Benson and getting the answer out of him. He suddenly needs to know; outside it was a silly question, but now…he wants the truth.

He's filling a cup when Mordecai takes his arm and spins him round, the plastic to Bensons chest. They're close, Mordecai panting slightly from his run and their eyes meet, Bensons panicked while Mordecai's are calm. Right as Mordecai loosens his grip, guitar and a melodic voice fills the room and Benson swallows. Mordecai's hand trails to his and he's guided to the dancefloor, the cup sliding from Bensons fingers and landing with a "thunk" on the table.

Everyone grabs a partner and pulls them close, Mordecai already seeing Margaret and CJ making their way there. His other hand finds Bensons waist and they stop, Benson's hand resting on his shoulder before he's taken across the floor, Mordecai smiling gently as he spins him round before having him back in his arms. The move takes Benson by surprise but he leans against Mordecai's chest, the hand on his shoulder trailing to his back. The girls spin to them and Margaret smiles, Benson hearing her say, "You guys're really cute together." He turns his head to see CJ's face alight and something warm fills his chest. When they glide away, he looks up at Mordecai to see an expression he can't recognise cross his face. They soon stop dancing and head down the path, Benson reaching for his pack when Mordecai cuts him off.

"What?"

"Answer my question." His voice's soft and Benson sighs, shoving it back in his pocket.

He's quiet, before they reach a maple tree and he goes round it, leaning against the back. Before Mordecai can speak, he's pulled out his lighter and's sparking the cigarette, blowing out a cloud of smoke which stings Mordecai's eyes. He coughs but grabs it and stubs it out against the bark, making Benson frown, "What the hell're you doing?"

Mordecai looks at him but Benson doesn't avoid it. He holds the jays gaze, backed up so he can feel a branch sticking into his shoulder blade, "I want the truth, Benson."

"Why're you asking me? I thought this was your idea." Bensons voice's harsh and Mordecai's eyes dart across his face. He draws back a little, giving Benson some room to take another stick and he doesn't stop him this time, watching the particles of smoke gather in the air. He stands next to him, letting the chemicals go into his lungs.

"You're right, it was my idea." Benson doesn't say anything and Mordecai looks at him, "I wasn't pretending."

Benson scoffs, the cigarette poised between two fingers, "Was that before or after you found out CJ and Margaret were dating?"

Mordecai frowns, "Why'd you have to be such a dick?"

He blows out in the direction of the wind to face him, his expression hard, "You were the one who pulled me along to this stupid gathering. I only agreed to get you off my back." He sucks in another cloud, "That the truth you were looking for?"

Bensons words sting. He clenches his jaw and walks off back to the Park, not bothering to turn back when he hears his name being called. Hot tears well in his eyes but he wipes them away and storms towards the gates that're looming ahead. A hand grabs his arm and he's whipped around to see Bensons face soft, the cigarette gone, his skin pale in the moonlight. His eyes're puffy from earlier but his tone isn't clipped as he says, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean…"

Mordecai takes a breath, shaking Bensons grip off to stand still, before he manages to spit out, "Can you stop being a prick for one second and talk to me? I know I messed up, but that doesn't mean you have to act like an asshole just cause you're not having a good time. Yes I dragged you out here, but you can leave anytime you want. Your apartment's right down the street, nothing's stopping you so go." He blinks but the tears won't fall and he quickly realises they're tracks on his cheeks and he pulls his lips into a thin line, a ball forming in his chest. For a second, he considers heading back to the ballroom and telling Margaret and CJ the entire thing, that they aren't a couple at all and they were only pretending for his own benefit, because he thought they would've mocked him had he not really moved on. He knows he'll look like a complete shit but he deserves it.

Benson's stunned..but only for a moment. His eyes turn to slits and he pushes past him to go to the Park gates. Mordecai spins round, throwing out his hands, "Benson!"

He has no choice but to follow him, gritting his teeth as his shoes pound against the grass. They soon hit stone but he hasn't caught up yet; he just disappears into thin air. He looks around to see Benson dead ahead, fast walking to get home. Mordecai eases into a light jog to catch up but Benson quickens his pace and Mordecai slows his when he feels a stitch coming on. He stops in his tracks and watches Benson go…it's not worth it. He makes his way back to the ballroom to tell the girls the truth. They at least deserve that.

Benson walks home at his own leisure, now that Mordecai's quit. He lights himself a smoke to clear his head, but it makes him cough and he throws it in the gutter, pocketing the lighter. The moon's enough light to guide his way back and he shivers slightly, hugging himself until he reaches the building. His hand takes the door but he doesn't pull, instead pausing to catch his breath…but also think. Bensons head spins and he's not sure if it's the smoke, the short run or what's just happened between him and Mordecai. He decides the latter and finds his feet taking him back to the ballroom, realising what he should do. He at least deserves that.

As expected, Margaret's shocked. Her and CJ sit in silence for a moment, processing it all. Half of the guests've left and the music's clocked down to a slow instrumental of a 70s song Mordecai doesn't recognise. Their drinks are long gone but CJ's chewing on her straw, thinking. Mordecai's staring at his shoes, waiting his verdict.

"I mean…I hope you find someone, Mordecai but…" He looks up to see Margaret close her eyes before opening them, her expression strained, "That wasn't cool."

"I know," Mordecai says lowly.

CJ drops the straw into her cup, "Isn't Benson one of your good friends?"

Mordecai unclasps his hands, "He's also my boss."

CJ stares at him but Mordecai already knows he screwed up. That's a low blow even for him.

Margaret goes to say something and Mordecai's eyes flit to her. She hesitates, choosing her words carefully, "You need to fix this."

"He hates me, Margaret. Anyway, he's already gone home." His head lowers and he feels Margaret take his hand.

"He doesn't hate you," her voice's soft. "He just needs time to think this over."

Mordecai looks up, "What'd you think?"

"About?"

"Do you think we were pretending tonight or…were our feelings real?"

The girls look at eachother, CJ grinning in amusement. Mordecai's face drops as Margaret's hand slips from his, CJ saying, "You really are clueless, Mordecai."

Mordecai slowly stands, "I think I'm gonna go home." They follow suit and Mordecai hugs both of them, smiling sadly. "Wonder if Benson'll take his anger out on me if I sleep in tomorrow."

Margaret squeezes his shoulder, holding his gaze, "It'll be fine, I promise. Your heart's in the right place, Mordecai."

He leaves, kicking a soda can on the way out. It rolls down the path and hits a stone, sending it in the other direction, making him sigh. His hands go to his pockets and he makes his way back to the Park, light shining on the path. It's a beautiful night, he has to admit; the moon's full and the milky way paints a black sky, but his chest can't stop aching when he thinks back on his behaviour. No doubt Benson'll be even more of an ass tomorrow morning. By now everyone's gone home except for only a few people and he takes his jacket off to sling it over his shoulder, his shoes clapping on the path and a faint smile breaks across his face when he sees the gates ahead.

A figure suddenly steps up onto the path he's walking and Mordecai squints. They're short, he can see that, but he doesn't recognise them past that. Then, as he walks further, he can just make out a bright orange light and a feeling bordering on relief rips through him. He keeps at a steady walk and so does Benson and when they finally meet, Benson has the stick in two fingers, blowing smoke out where the wind doesn't blow. Mordecai smiles, shrugging his jacket on when the cold gets to him.

"Hey," he breathes.

Benson makes a ring, "Hey."

Mordecai pauses, "Listen, I-"

In an instant, Benson stubs out the cigarette and pulls Mordecai down for a kiss, his hands going round his neck. Mordecai's stunned at first but he slowly wraps his arms round his back and holds him close, breathing the smell of cigarette smoke in. Benson breaks it and the two look at eachother, Mordecai swallowing. He laughs uneasily before pushing himself away and Benson stares at him, his expression blank, "What?"

Mordecai smiles with his cheeks tinting red, "You taste like an ashtray."

Bensons face burns, "Oh..god, I..shit…." He looks away but the look on Mordecai's face makes him stumble on his words, nothing coming out for a moment until he blurts, "Sorry."

To his surprise, he laughs and Benson stands there with his body hot, feeling like an idiot before Mordecai gives him a warm smile, "It's fine, Benson really. I've had worse." He doesn't move and Mordecai takes his hand, "It's okay."

Benson looks up, suddenly coming back, "It is?"

"Yeah man." They walk back down the path, Benson pushing his pack deeper in his pocket. His fingers trail Mordecai's and he can see the jay's cheeks going redder, but nothing's said between them for a moment.

They suddenly hear heels clacking against the pavement and the two stop, Mordecai turning to see Margaret and CJ running to catch up. Both of them grin, Margarets face flushed, "Mordecai, you're still here."

He smiles, "Yeah, I…ran into Benson on the way out."

Their heads turn and Benson blushes, but Margaret looks at him evenly, a knowing expression blooming on her features. One glance at their hands tells her everything and she turns her attention back to Mordecai as he asks, "So, what're you guys doing now?"

CJ's earrings catch the moonlight, "We were gonna head down to the pub for a couple drinks. You wanna come?"

Mordecai opens his mouth to reply until he feels a chill run through him and he suddenly registers Benson beside him. He shakes his head, "I think I'm gonna head home and crash."

Margaret almost looks disappointed but nonetheless she smiles and tugs CJ along, waving a little at the pair, "See you tomorrow then?"

Mordecai grins and the two take off to Margarets car, the two watching them go. He puts his jacket on then turns to have Benson kissing him again. The jays in momentary shock but comes crashing back when Benson draws away, letting go to cough with his eyes on a tree branch, "I just…felt like it." He says quietly, offering a nervous smile to Mordecai who's expression softens. He doesn't reply and only saunters ahead, Benson matching his pace with his hand going to his pocket. They walk in silence and Mordecai soon looks up at the sky, marvelling at the stars until they reach the gate, Benson moving to it while Mordecai steps onto the grass.

His hand holds the railing but he doesn't go just yet, watching Mordecai's face in the light, "Mordecai?"

"Hm?" Their eyes meet and Benson lets out a breath, the cloud dissipating in front of him. It's so quiet out here and he has no idea of the time; but he could care less. They feel like the only people in the world right now. No cars're honking, no lights're seen from the ballroom, and the Park House's cloaked in black, Benson just being able to make out the silhouette above the small hill.

When he doesn't respond, Mordecai's lips take on a smile and he walks over with his hands in his pockets, not breaking Bensons gaze, "You okay?"

His voice has Benson looking away, a thought pounding in his mind and he looks back up, his hand cold on the gate, "What's gonna happen tomorrow?"

Mordecai stops for a moment, taking one hand out to run through his crown, "What'd you mean?"

"With us. Was it…only for show?" Benson closes in but Mordecai can hear the uncertainty in his words and his eyes fall from his boss' for a second.

There's a strained quiet, until, "I have to get to bed, Benson." He looks up, "It's pretty late."

Benson watches him turn but in a flash, he's jerked forward and's holding Mordecai's arm, "Don't avoid the question."

Mordecai stills and Benson keeps his fingers there, waiting before Mordecai's body goes limp and Benson lets go to find the metal again. His eyes're glassy, "We're both thinking the same thing." He says it matter of factly and Benson's mouth shuts. He refuses to look at him, fingers falling from the gate and as he sighs, watching it go, Mordecai looks at him calmly, "I really like you, Benson."

He's quiet and Benson wishes he had a thicker layer when he feels his neck hairs stand on end. Instead he hugs himself, leaning against the gate with his gaze lingering on the grass, "It _is_ getting late…" He lets his voice trail off but Mordecai says nothing, not stepping forward for an answer, not prompting Benson for the truth. Benson swallows, unmoving and when his breath comes out again, he pushes himself off and turns to the street, seeing the traffic lights stay green before he hears grass crunch and a hand's on his wrist.

"You weren't pretending, were you?" It's soft and Bensons heart jumps but he doesn't face him, both listening to the crickets in the far distance. Mordecai waits, and everything's still for a minute, his eyes on his jacket but when his boss doesn't voice a reply, he lets his fingers unravel and watches him go, Mordecai's shoulders slumping. Benson wills himself to not look back as he makes the walk to his apartment. De Ja Vu. Except Mordecai's not hot on his heels this time.

He gets about halfway before he hears footsteps and panic floods him. He spins round but it's only Mordecai, panting, "You said you don't like labels."

Benson blanks, "Yeah?"

"Is that…us? I mean, we're not together…are we?"

Benson looks away and Mordecai suddenly feels stupid. He evens his breathing and finds his eyes as Benson says, "No."

Mordecai feels a lump in his throat and he chokes out, "You still didn't answer me."

"What?"

"Were you pretending?"

Benson casts his gaze down before shaking his head and whipping round, "I gotta get home."

Mordecai's grip on his arm's firm and Benson has no choice but to turn to face him, his lips shut when he sees the jays face's hard, "You've been avoiding it all night, Benson. After hating every minute with me, the least you could is be a bit more honest."

He holds his gaze and Benson swallows, wrenching away, "Alright, fine." He pauses, "I stopped pretending when we danced."

Something drops in Mordecai's chest and his body feels a little less heavier. Benson's not looking at him but he's captured in a kiss, whirling with Mordecai against him. A warmth engulfs him and he lets himself smile, red staining his cheeks as he inhales Mordecai's cologne which he recognises is Rigbys from the guy wearing it round the house after Eileen'd bought it for him.

Mordecai lets go but keeps his distance, "Thanks."

Benson sighs, putting up his armour, "Can I go home now?"

He grins, "Yeah."

Benson rolls his eyes, turning away but Mordecai glimpses his face and wraps him in a hug from behind, an "oof" sounding from his boss. He nudges his cheek and Benson keeps his gaze to the ground, "Thanks for coming tonight, Benson. I really appreciate it." He lets go and Benson stands still, listening to Mordecai walk off, but he keeps going, the jays warmth fading with every step. He didn't realise how much he missed it till he got to his apartment block and he looks out, but of course Mordecai's already at the house. He can see a faint light from their bedroom and he sighs, the tips of his fingers running on the red brick before his feet take him inside.


End file.
